Eclipse
by Enraged Avocado
Summary: The sun and moon converge, but nothing can stop the fire.


_**Eclipse**_

A shadow passed over them. Harry couldn't stand it. He shook his head, but forced himself to look up and see what was about to try and kill them next.

"See here, Harry!" he heard Hagrid bellow . "Din't I say tha' dragons were seriously misunderstood creatures?"

Hah. Misunderstood? Hagrid didn't know the half of it.

Harry had almost given up. But now… he had found the beast.

* * *

It started after the day he defeated a Dark Lord.

_Every night..._

Harry thought he would live the rest of his life with satisfaction. He had killed the bad guy, got the girl, and accomplished his life's purpose with years to spare.

What to do for 120 years?

His plan was to get married, have kids, and live the rest of his life secure in the knowledge that he had saved countless lives. He would be happy, content, and perfectly fine.

_...when the moon shines_…

Nothing ever worked out like he planned. So, he escaped.

He escaped to a world of his own. Inside of his head, there was only peace.

The dreams came at night. Going through the motions of the world and relishing every moment of his own. He had completed his purpose, and now he had only his thoughts and dreams.

_...I become alive..._

He flew. His leathery wings flapped intermittently as he soared through the clouds. Nothing to worry about, everything taken care of. He could forget human worries and feel the wind over his scales.

Years flew by. The dreams became too real.

_...and when the sun arrives..._

The fire out of his mouth became too hot and the exertion of flying left him too tired. Was he a man dreaming of being a beast, or just a beast dreaming of being a human?

His escape was ruined, and the lines of the two worlds blurred. A nasty cutting hex during a routine investigation-gone-wrong prevented him from taking to the skies. Kreacher's filling dinners left him too lethargic to move his wings. The constant fighting with his lover maddened him until he couldn't focus on the destination, causing him to crash into the town he circled so often.

_...the dream dies._

* * *

The office was cold and empty in the early morning, save for two. Harry Potter tiredly passed his co-worker's work space, catching sight of the Daily Prophet on the desk.

"Mind if I take a look at this, Andrews?" Harry asked, grabbing the paper to examine it more closely.

Andrews waved him on, and Harry started on his trek to his own desk.

"You okay? Look like you got done fighting a dark lord." Andrews asked, chuckling to himself as he turned to his desk.

Harry smiled wistfully as he looked at the page. "Just a little off kilter. Never enough sleep nowadays."

Andrews gave a cheeky grin. "Wouldn't be the missus now would it?"

"No, no, not that…" Harry trailed off, shaking his head. Andrews turned back to his paperwork. Harry's eyes dropped to the article that had caught his eye.

"You hear? MacFustys're starting to slip. Hebridean trying to kill itself in, er… Hirta I think. Big one too," Andrews said. The story spilled out in front of Harry's eyes as the wizard said it. The photographer had only caught the escape . A short picture of a great black beast lifting off towards the volcanic hills.

Hirta. The Island of Death.

"Hey! Where're you going?" Andrews called out. Harry was already closing the door.

* * *

"Sure about this 'Arry? Dragons're misunderstood creatures. Every'un d'serves their chance a' freedom."

"It's too dangerous to be left alone. We need to take care of it before it becomes a problem."

"Plenty o' dragons muckin' about on their own, 'Arry."

Kreacher appeared next to Harry with a pop, wringing his hands in consternation and looking as if holding his tongue was causing him physical harm. Harry gave the elf a quick glance and pocketed a fast food toy. Hagrid stored a giant sock in his huge coat.

Portkeying was much more pleasant alone.

"Alright then, let's get this over with."

* * *

"This was not a good idea!" Harry yelled as he dodged a blast of molten lava.

Hagrid's 16 inch wand flashed out above the rock he was crouching against. A wave of water rushed out, spilling over the pool of lava.

The volcanic avatar roared in agony and steam spilled out, fogging up Harry's glasses. Lava streamed out of the creature's hands and Harry retreated behind his own boulder.

Kreacher snapped his fingers a nd the stone cover that hid the house elf sped towards th e lava spirit. The giant rock hit it full on and the creature receded into its pool. Kreacher snapped a second time and the rock returned to its former position in front of the elf.

Harry pointed his wand at the boulder closest to the pit. The levitation charm took effect and the rock flew steadily towards the edge. Once only a fraction remained on the ground, Harry halted its progress.

"Kreacher! Hold this thing in place!" Harry called over the roar of the volcano's spirit. Kreacher stuck out a single hand to cast his magic and Harry lowered his wand.

Despite the sacrilege he was performing, Harry continued his plan to deface the locals' Samhain circle. He dashed closer toward the pit, doing his best to stay a small target.

A blast of lava forced him to dive behind a waist-high rock that stretched double his height. Harry scraped against the ground roughly as another blast hit his cover.

"Aguamenti!" Hagrid shouted from some place Harry couldn't see.

He thanked whatever divine being had inspired him to bring along the half-giant.

Harry pushed himself off the ground, starting again at a sprint toward the boulder that Kreacher held in place.

Harry skidded toward a stop at the rock. He needed to hurry before the creature hit one of its targets.

He jammed his wand under the stone, touching where ground met rock. Harry drew his wand in a short vertical line, finishing with a small 's' at the bottom.

Harry could see Hagrid blast a piece of cover towards the spirit.

"Kreacher!" Harry shouted. The house elf lowered his hand and turned to help the half-giant.

The sticking charm held. The rock balanced on the edge precariously.

Harry placed his wand on the rock as his mind went blank. Was contact better or worse for simple geometric Transfiguration?

Harry weaved his wand in an intricate pattern across the stone, the desired image floating in his mind. The rock shifted before his eyes into a disk large enough to cover the pit and strong enough to contain the spirit.

Harry sat on the floor and heaved a great sigh. He needed to exercise more.

* * *

Hagrid was almost too good at tracking.

The dragon's gaping maw sped closer.

_Once you know the meanings, you can forget the words._

It came out all at once; meanings without words. A song without a tune. Harry thought he had whispered it, but the noise drowned out all.

_Take what you need from the valley of defeat..._

The jaws shut, and the flames consumed the beast.

_And if the sky should fall…_

Harry felt it enter all at once. He felt all the emotions. He felt the rage and the all-consuming fire that lived within.

_Don't try to use your feet._

Scales sprouted from skin and a tail lashed behind him violently. Shoulder blades forcefully exited his body and the fire claimed his throat.

_Just remember your wings. _


End file.
